Aerosol container with valve having a biased actuator



J. M. RAlT Nov. 8, 1966 AEROSOL CONTAINER WITH VALVE HAVING A BIASED ACTUATOR Filed Aug. 2, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 w 0 5 a W 1/ 6 7// 4 4 Q INVENTOR. JOSEPH M PA/T ATTORNEYS Nov. 8, 1966 J. M. RAIT 3,283,961

AEROSOL CONTAINER WITH VALVE HAVING A BIASED ACTUATOR Filed Aug. 2, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F16. 9. Fla. /0.

INVENTOR. JOSEPH M. RA IT 7/ ,4 TTO/QNE rs United States Patent This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Serial No. 377,798 filed June 11, 1964.

This invention relates to dispensing closure constructions for containers and particularly to closures for pressurized dispensing containers of the aerosol type.

In providing a satisfactory closure for a dispensing container the two prime considerations are an adequate leak-proof seal for the contents and the pressurizing gas and low manufacturing cost. The necessity for a highly effective closure in the case of pressurized containers is obvious and the importance of low cost relates directly to the types of products which may be economically vended in pressurized containers. Normally low-priced products cannot be sold in pressurized containers unless the container cost is in keeping with the permissible sales price of the entire package.

A large potential field of use of aerosol or other pressurized dispensing containers is virtually unexploited because of the cost of an adequate dispensing valve closure of any of the types currently available. This field of potential use is in relatively small sized containers which, with commonly used products such as shaving cream, for example, must be sold for a very low price to be com petitive. Yet the usefulness of aerosol dispensing techniques is if anything greater than in relatively larger size containers since pressure dispensing of toiletries, cosmetics and the like serves its greatest needs in business and vacation travel, camping and other uses Where small size is an especially important consideration. Obviously the selling price of a small sized package must be proportionately low and this emphasizes the need for a low cost dispensing means.

The simplicity, effectiveness, and low manufacturing cost of the dispensing closures of the present invention is of course an important consideration in employing the same in aerosol containers generally but is of even greater importance in the packaging inexpensive materials and in small size containers. More general sale of pressurized containers in vending machines and in other applications where small packages are desirable is made economically attractive.

Speaking generally, the dispensing closure of the present invention comprises a container having a top end member having a central bore therein and a closure and operating member whose principal component is a unitary molded member comprising essentially an elongated shank which is slidably journaled in the bore of the top end member of the container and has at its outer end an enlargement in the form of an annular flange which extends radially outwardly and axially inwardly toward the container end member to bear. against the outer surface of the end member at its marginal portion.

The material of this component is preferably a molded synthetic resin or other material having physical properties such that portions of substantial cross section, such as the aforesaid shank, are relatively rigid whereas the relatively thinner annular flange portion is resilient and serves as a return spring by reason of its resilience, thus obviating the need for a biasing spring, or a separate biasing member of another form, for urging the closure to normal sealing position.

By virtue of the operating member construction which in the principal component consists of a simple shank with an annular flange at one end, molding of this component on a mass production basis is greatly simplified and simple and economical mold constructions may be employed. The only parts required in addition to the container itself are this molded operating member element and a valving collar or disc, thus reducing the manufacturing cost to a minimum.

In addition to the foregoing novel principles of container closure and dispenser construction and operation, the present invention provides novel metering means whereby predetermined quantities or dosages of material may be dispensed by each manual operation of the dispensing means. A further object of the invention resides in the provision of means whereby the dispenser operating member cannot be operated accidentally or inadvertently. In this embodiment of the invention the operating member must be rotated to dispensing position before the same can be depressed to effect dispensing.

While a number of embodiments of the principles of the present invention are illustrated in the drawings and described in the following specification, it is to be understood that such embodiments are by way of example only and that the claims are not limited to the precise details thus illustrated and described nor otherwise than as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken centrally through a container and dispensing closure combination constructed in accordance with one form of the present invention;

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are fragmentary cross-sectional views taken similarly to FIG. 1 but showing further embodiments of the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view through a container embodying a further form of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the container of FIG. 5 with the closure operating member removed;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of such closure operating member; and

FIGS. 9, 10, 11 and 12 are vertical cross-sectional views taken similarly to FIG. 1 and showing further embodiments of the principles of the present invention.

For the general purposes of the disclosure of the principles of the present invention it may be assumed that the containers of the various embodiments illustrated herein are generally cylindrical although it is to be understood that the closures and dispensing mechanisms which form the subject matter of the invention may be applied with equal elfect to containers of other shapes and forms. In FIG. 1 the numeral 15 designates a tubular or hollow cylindrical container body having an integral bottom wall 16 and a top Wall member 17 which, in the present instance, has an annular groove in its underside which fits over the upper end of body 15. The top end wall 17 may be permanently secured to body 15 by the use of an adhesive, by heat sealing the same, or in any other desired manner. In the alternative, the top end wall 17 may be integral with the cylindrical body 15 and the bottom end wall 16 may be a separate closure member, in which case the contents will be introduced to the container through the bottom prior to application of the bottom wall.

In FIG. 1 the top surface of the top end wall 17 is fiat and wall 17 is provided with a central bore. The principal component of the container closure and dispensing means is designated generally 18 and comprises an axially extending shank 19 having an integral flexible annular wall 20 at one end thereof. In this embodimeat the annular wall 20 is frusto-conical and the thickness thereof and the material from which the same is molded are such that the annular wall 20 is moderately flexible. On the other hand, the shank 19 is so proportioned that it is relatively rigid when formed from conventional thermoplastic materials such, for instance, as polyethylene. Shank 19 is slidably journaled in the central bore in top end wall 17.

In the closing and dispensing valve structure of the embodiment of FIG. 1 an annular collar 22 is attached to the lower end of shank 19 after the latter has been assembled through the bore in end wall 17. Collar 22 may be fixed to shank 19 in various ways, in the present instance by means of a snap ring 23. In the present embodiment a groove 24 is formed in shank 19 to facilitate the flow of contents from the container when parts are in dispensing position. A perforation 25 in annular wall 20 comprises the dispensing outlet port of the device and a protuberance 26 at the outer surface of the annular wall 20 of member 18 is provided to provide a ready indication of the location of the relatively small perforation 25.

The frusto-conical shape of annular wall 20 and the natural resilience of the member 18 causes member 18 to normally assume the position illustrated in FIG. 1 wherein collar 22 seats against the underside of top end wall 17. To further seal the contents against egress the underside of end wall 18 and the upper surface of collar 22 may be provided with mating annular groove and ridge formations indicated at 27 in FIG. 1.

Having in mind that the contents of the container are under pressure, as by a charge of carbon dioxide in the container or other pressurizing gas, the contents are dispensed by finger pressure against the top of member 18 which flexes annular wall 20 thereof and thus permits shank 19 to move axially downwardly in the perforation of top end member 17, thus moving collar 22 downwardly from the underside of end wall 17 to permit pres surized contents of the container to flow radially inwardly between end wall 17 and collar 22 to the peripheral portion of shank 19. While shank 19 may be provided with suificient clearance with respect to the perforation in which it slides to permit egress of contents thereabout, in the present instance the. contents have ready egress through groove 24, flowing upwardly to the space between the top of top end wall 17 and the underside of annular flange 20, whence the contents flow outwardly through perforation 25. As soon as finger pressure is removed the natural resiliency of annular wall 20 causes the same to re-assume the position as illustrated in FIG. 1, thus closing the container by movement of collar 22 upwardly against the undersideof top end wall 17.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 the general arrangement is similar to FIG. 1, including a cylindrical container body 30, a top end wall member 31, and an operating member designated generally by the numeral 32. As in the previous embodiment, operating member 32 includes a shank portion 33 which is axially slidable in an opening formed in end wall 31 and a flexible frustoconical flange formation 34 which bears at its marginal portions against an annular flat surface formed at the outer marginal portion of the outer surface of end wall 31.-

In this embodiment the separate valving collar 22 of the previous embodiment is eliminated by forming an annular enlargement 35 directly on the periphery of the shank 33 of operating member 32. One or both of the molded parts, namely end wall 31 and operating member 32, are in this embodiment formed of material possessing sufficient elasticity so that the shank member may be forced downwardly through the central opening in end wall 31 until the enlargement 35 snaps past the lower end of such opening and retains the operating member in the normal position illustrated in FIG. 2.

While a dispensing groove similar to the groove 24 of FIG. 1 may be provided, in the present instance the diameter of shank 33 between enlargement 35 and the outer end of shank is merely so proportioned with respect to the diameter of the bore in the end wall 31 that suflicient clearance is provided to permit passage of the pressurized contents upwardly through such clearance when enlargement 35 is moved downwardly away from end wall 31 by manual pressure against operating member 32. As in the previous embodiment, the flange 34 of the operating member 32 is provided with a dispensing aperture 37 and a protuberance 38 for indicating the location of the dispensing aperture.

The embodiment of FIG. 3 is again generally similar to that of FIG. 1 excepting that in FIG. 3 the aperture from which the contents ultimately emerge from the package is located in the top wall member of the container instead of in the flange of the operating member as in FIG. 1. In FIG. 3 the body of the container proper is designated 40 and the top end member is designated 41. In FIG. 3 the top end member has an overlying plate member 42 which is cemented or otherwise fixed thereto and in the present inst-ance a dowel or protuberance 43 formed on end member 41 projects through an aperture in plate member 42 to locate the two parts relatively to each other in assembling the same.

The chief reason for forming the parts 41 and 42 separately is to facilitate molding, a radial groove 44 being formed in either or both of the parts 41 and 42. In FIG. 3 an operating member 45 having a shank 46 and an annular resilient flange formation 47 is virtually identical to the operating member 18 of FIG. 1 excepting that the dispensing aperture is omitted therefrom.

A valving collar 48 and a retaining ring 49 may be virtually the same as in the embodiment of FIG. 1. To render the assembly of the end member 41 and the auxiliary plate 42 more secure and to provide longer bearing for the shank 46 of operating member 45, end member 41 is provided with an annular flange formation Sit which extends through an opening in plate 42. A passage 51 in end member 41 connects between the lower surface thereof and groove 44 so that when the operating member 45 is manually depressed, contents of the container may freely issue therefrom by passing above the valve collar 48, through passage 51, and out by way of gnoove 44.

The embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 4 through 8 show various features or departures, each of which may be interchangeably employed in conjunction with each other and with any of the previous embodiments of the inventi-on. The embodiment of FIG. 4 employs a sheet metal container 60 having a metallic top wall member 61, the top Wall member being secured to the body member 69 by a return bent annular flange 62. In general, an operating member 63 is similar to the operating member 18 of FIG. 1, having a shank 64 and 1a firusto-conical annular flange formation 65 which is resilient and serves to retain the shank 64 in its uppermost position unless the operating member is manually depressed.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4 a valving collar 66- is attached to shank 64 at the under side of top wall member 61 by heat sealing thereto or in any other desired manner. Here again the clearance between shank 64 and the bore in wall member 61 may be suflicient for passage of contents upwardly therethrough when valve collar 66 is moved downwardly, or one of the shank 64 or the bore in wall member 61 may be grooved to provide an egress passage. A dispensing aperture 67 is formed in annular flange 65 as in the preceding embodiment.

FIGS..5 through 8 illustrate a form of the present invention which embodies an automatic metering feature and also an arrangement whereby the dispenser may only be operated by rotating the same to dispensing position prior to manually depressing the same to cause discharge of contents. Either of these features may be employed in the various other embodiments of the invention illustrated herein.

In FIG. 5 a cylindrical container 70 has a bottom wall 71 and a separately molded top wall member 72 generally as in the embodiments of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 wherein the upper end of the container body fits into an annular groove or channel in the underside of the top wall member. In FIG. 5 an annular flange 73 at the under side of top wall member 72 receives the upper end of a tubular metering member 74. Metering member 74 has a reduced tubular lower end portion 75 and a tapering wall portion 76 connecting the latter with the main upper body portion of the metering member. A ball valve 77 is disposed within the tapering wall portion 76.

In FIG. 5 the operating member is designated generally 78 and comprises a shank 79 and an outer resilient flange formation 80, such flange formation being generally similar to the flexible flange formations of the operating members of the preceding embodiments.

In the embodiment being described, the central bore of top member 72 which receives shank 79 has a lateral arcuate recess 82 which has a deeper portion 83 at one end thereof. The root portion of shank 79 which is generally beneath the flange 80 of operating member 78 is provided with a key formation 84. Key 84 is normally disposed in arcuate recess 82 and limits rot-ative movement of operating member 78 to a predetermined angle. The proportions of the recess 82 and key 84 are such that the operating member cannot be manually depressed unless it is first rotated to its limit of movement in one direction to place key 84 in registry with the deeper portion 83 of recess 82, in which position the operating member may be depressed to unseat the valve and dispense material from the container.

As shown in FIG. 6 the upper surface of flange 80 of operating member 78 has rib formations 86 to facilitate rotating the member to and from dispensing position, the dispensing opening being designated 87 and marked by an indicating formation 88. Here again the clearance around shank 79 may be suflicient for outward flow of the contents when valve collar 89 is lowered by depression of operating member or a special channel or passage may be formed between the parts for upward flow of material.

It will be noted from FIG. 5 that in normal position the lower end of shank 79 is spaced above ball 77 so that pressure in the container will raise the ball until equal pressure conditions prevail as between the container interior generally and the space above ball 77 in the metering tube 74. Thus prior to dispensing the space above ball 77 in metering tube 74 contains a predetermined charge of material under the same pressure as in the container proper.

When the operating member 78 is depressed the lower end of shank 79 engages ball 77 and holds it against its seat in metering tube 74. Thus in a single depression of the operating member only the material above ball 77 in the metering tube is discharged, this constituting a pre determined dose or portion.

It is cite-n desirable in pressure dispensing to provide a tube which extends downwardly from the dispensing passage to a point near the bottom of the container so that contents are dispensed the lower part of the interior of the container. In the embodiment of FIG. 5 such a tube may be provided by merely extending the lower tubular portion 75 of metering member 74 downwardly :as shown in dot and dash lines at 85 in FIG. 5. The same means may be employed toprovide a downwardly extending dispensing tube in the interior of the container where no metering is desired by merely omitting the ball valve 77 from the construction of FIG. 5 whereby the member 74 serves merely toprovide a downwardly extending dispensing tube 85.

Reference will now be had to the additional embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 9 through 12 wherein the general operating members are substantially the same as in which are the foregoing embodiments but wherein the manually engaged portion of the operating member assumes various forms. In FIG. 9 a molded container 90 has a bowlshaped enlargement 91 at its upper end and a top wall member 92 fixed to the container proper. The operating member is designated generally by the reference numeral 93 and comprises a shank 94 having a flexible annular wall 95 and an operating button format-ion 96 at its upper end. Wall 95 is in marginal abutment with the interior of bowl formation 91 and is flexed by downward manual pressure on operating member 93, the material being resilient so that flange 95 urges the operating member to the closed position illustrated in FIG. 9.

A value disc 98 is fixed to the lower end of shank 94. In this instance shank 94 has a reduced lower extension terminating in a head portion 99, the valve disc 98 being assembled thereon by flexure and stretching of the parts. Discharge of material when valve disc 98 is moved downwardly is by way orf clearance between shank 94 and the bore in end wall 92 and thence through a perforation 100 in bowl-shaped enlargement 91. It will be noted that the space within the bowl-shaped enlargement beneath flange 95 comprises a discharge chamber.

In FIG. 10 a container has a top end wall 106 and also attached to the upper end thereof, an annular shell 107 having frusto-conieal side walls and adapted to form. with top end wall 106 of the container, a discharge chamber having an egress passage for material at 108.

The operating member is designated generally by the numeral 109 and comprises a shank 110 which has slide bearing in coaxial openings in end wall 106 and shell 107. The manipulating portion of operating member 109 oomprises a head formation 112 having a frust-o-conical marginal portion 113 which fits over the uper end of shell 107 as shown in FIG. 10.

A valve disc 114 is to the valve disc 98 of the preceding embodiment. Manual pressure on member 109 to open valve 114 is resiliently resisted by stretching movement of marginal flange 113 which expands resiliently as it is forced over the frusto conical side wall of shell member 107.

In FIG. 11 the container has a top end wall 121 which is perforated to receive a shank portion 122 of an operating member designated generally 123. Here again, a valve disc 124 is attached to the lower end of shank 122.

The operating member 123 has a concavo-convex head portion 125 formed with a discharge passage 126. The marginal edges of head portion 125 abut the upper end of the container and resilient flexure thereof is utilized to resiliently retainthe operating member in the closed position illustrated in FIG. 11 excepting when manual pressure is applied to operating member 123 to eflect dispensing of contents.

FIG. 12 shows a dispensing container similar to FIG. 11 excepting as to the location of the discharge passage. In FIG. 12 the container has an end wall 131 formed with an oblique discharge passage 132. An operating member 133 has a shank 134- sli-dably journaled in end wall 131 and a concavo-convex head portion 135 similar to the head portion of *FIG. 11 but without the discharge perforation. In FIG. 12 a valve disc similar to that of the preceding embodiments is designated 136.

What is claimed is:

1. In a dispensing closure structure for pressurized containers, a container wall having an aperture and an annular outer surface portion surrounding said aperture, an operating member comprising a shank slidably journaled in said aperture and having an annular flange formation at its outer end, said flange formation being of resilient material, the marginal portion of said flange being substantially in slidable abutment with said annular outer surface and the remainder of said flange being normally axially spaced outwardly from said container wall Where- 'by the central portion of said flange may be manually depressed against the resilient resistance of the material thereof to move said shank axial-1y inwardly with said abutting marginal portions of said flange slidable radially on said container wall outer surface to permit relative free flexutre of said flange, an annular valve at the inner end of said shank and normally biased outwardly against an inner portion of said container wall by the resiliency of said flange formation to seal the pressurized contents of the container, said shank and aperture being formed to permit flow of contents of the container therebetween when said valvi-ng enlargement is moved inwardly by manual pressure against the bias of said resilient flange formation, a discharge opening in said flange.

2. In a dispensing closure structure for pressurized containers, a container wall having an aperture and an annular outer surface portion surrounding said aperture, an operating member comprising a shank slidably journaled in said aperture and having an annular flange formation at its outer end, said flange formation being of resilient material, the marginal portion of said flange being substantially in slidable abutment with said annular outer surface and the remainder of said flange being normally axially spaced outwardly from said container wall whereby the central portion of said flange may be manually depressed against the resilient resistance of the material thereof to move said shank axially inwardly with said abutting marginal portions of said flange slidable radially on said container wall outer surface to permit relative free flexure of said flange, discharge passage means leading from the interior of said container wall to the exterior of said dispensing closure structure, and an annular valve at the inner end of said shank and normally biased outwardly against an inner portion of said container wall by the resiliency of said flange "formation to close said discharge passage means and movable inwardly by manual pressure against the bias of said resilient flange formation.

3. A dispensing closure structure according to claim 2 wherein said annular valve comprises an integral radial enlargement of said shank adapted to be assembled through said aperture by resilient distortion of at least one of said container walls and said shank enlargement.

4. A dispensing closure structure according to claim 2 wherein said annular outer surface portion is substantial- 1y flat and said flange formation is generally tfrustoconical.

5. A dispensing closure structure according to claim 2 wherein said annular outer surface portion is substantially flat and said flange formation is generally convex.

6. A dispensing closure structure according to claim 2 having a tubular enclosure disposed about said annular valve and fixed at its upper end to said container wall, said tubular member extending downwardly toward the bottom of the container whereby contents from adjacent 8 the bottom of the container are dispensed when said annular valve is opened.

7. A dispensing closure structure according to claim 2 having an enclosure surrounding said annular valve and fixed at its upper end to said container wall, said enclosure having an opening into the interior of said container at its lower end, and a downwardly seating valve in said enclosure for closing said opening, the inner end of said shank being engageable against said valve to close the same when said shank moves inwardly to open said annular valve whereby the material dispensed in a single dispensing operation is limited to the material in said enclosure at the beginning of such dispensing operation.

8. A structure according to claim 7 wherein the lower end of said enclosure extends downwardly to a point near the bottom of the container whereby contents are dispensed from the bottom portion of the interior of the container.

9. Apparatus according to claim 2, including a housing enclosing said valve and forming a dosage chamber within said container, an opening at the lower end of said housing communicating with the remainder of. the interior of said container, and a downwardly seating valve in said opening, said inner end of said shank being engageable against said downwardly seating valve to hold the same closed when said shank is moved inwardly to open said annular valve whereby the material dispensed in a single operation is limited to the material in said dosage chamber at the beginning of such dispensing operation.

10. A dispensing closure structure according to claim 2 wherein said shank and said aperture have cooperating key and keyway formations whereby said operating memher is rotatable to bring said key and keyway formations into alignment and then depressible to dispense material from said container.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 549,678 11/ 1895 Miller. 1,992,067 2/ 1935 Gunn. 2,376,404 5/ 1945 Thoms 222511 X 2,543,850 3/1951 Henrickson 222518 2,681,752 6/1954 Jarrett et al. 222511 X 2,686,081 8/1954 Cooksey 222511 X 2,693,983 11/1954 Howell. 2,856,104 10/1958 Spiess et al. 3,081,917 3/1963 Quercia 222518 X 3,120,908 2/1964 Szajna et al. 222511 3,144,179 8/ 1964 Gildone. 3,190,508 6/1965 Petersen 239350 X RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner. 

2. IN A DISPENSING CLOSURE STRUCTURE FOR PRESSURIZED CONTAINERS, A CONTAINER WALL HAVING AN APERTURE AND AN ANNULAR OUTER SURFACE PORTION SURROUNDING SAID APERTURE, AN OPERATING MEMBER COMPRISING A SHANK SLIDABLY JOURNALED IN SAID APERTURE AND HAVING AN ANNULAR FLANGE FORMATION AT ITS OUTER END, SAID FLANGE FORMATION BEING OF RESILIENT MATERIAL, THE MARGINAL PORTION OF SAID FLANGE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY IN SLIDABLE ABUTMENT WITH SAID ANNULAR OUTER SURFACE AND THE REMAINDER OF SAID FLANGE BEING NORMALLY AXIALLY SPACED OUTWARDLY FROM SAID CONTAINER WALL WHEREBY THE CENTRAL PORTION OF SAID FLANGE MAY BE MANUALLY DEPRESSED AGAINST THE RESILIENT RESISTANCE OF THE MATERIAL THEREOF TO MOVE SAID SHANK AXIALLY INWARDLY WITH SAID ABUTTING MARGINAL PORTIONS OF SAID FLANGE SLIDABLE RADIALLY ON SAID CONTAINER WALL OUTER SURFACE TO PERMIT RELATIVE FREE FLEXURE OF SAID FLANGE, DISCHARGE PASSAGE MEANS LEADING FROM THE INTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER WALL OF THE EXTERIOR OF SAID DISPENSING CLOSURE STRUCTURE, AND AN ANNULAR VALVE AT THE INNER END OF SAID SHANK AND NORMALLY BIASED OUTWARDLY AGAINST AN INNER PORTION OF SAID CONTAINER WALL BY THE RESILIENCY OF SAID FLANGE FORMATION TO CLOSE AND DISCHARGE PASSAGE MEANS AND MOVABLE INWARDLY BY MANUAL PRESSURE AGAINST THE BIAS OF SAID RESILIENT FLANGE FORMATION. 